Instagram is becoming increasingly popular, not just for young adults, but many other groups are finding it preferable to other major social networks like Facebook and Twitter. For businesses, Instagram still offers great organic engagement opportunities, and if you don't already, you should look into marketing on the platform.

If you want to know some basic Instagram Marketing Tips, head over to the blog Marketing on Instagram in 2017. Or read on to get some great ideas for what to post on your brand's Instagram Page:

1. Be creative with your photos - Use filters to enhance your photos. Use cool angles, lighting and other photography tricks - whether you hire a photographer, or learn a few tricks on your own. Use photoshop, Diptic, or photoshake to edit your pics, or combine a number of photos into one.

2. Make videos - Instagram now has short video capabilities. Mix up your content by creating quick videos to share with your followers.

3. Post photos and short videos of your products - take and post great-looking photos of your goods to share with Instagram users.

4. Show your products in real life - Show photos of your products as they are used authentically.

5. Show your products creatively – Don’t just take a picture, try something different to stand out.

Here is a great example used on Wishpond of Pilot Pen USA. They sell pens, right? So how you market that on a social site like Instagram? They show photos of handwritten notes, and their pens.

6. Show your brand story – Emphasize what your brand stands for through photos, such as causes you support or how your product or service makes a difference.

7. Show who you are - feature fun photos and videos of your employees. Give your Instagrammers a behind the scenes look at your company. Remember, people buy from people, not brands. Even online.

Eco Buns, a local store that sells eco-friendly baby products, does a great job of making their Instagram feed really personal.

8. Share exclusive content - Use your Instagram feed to show photos you haven’t shared on your Facebook, Twitter or blog (and vice versa). This makes your followers feel special.

9. Launch a product live on Instagram - If you’re launching a new product, unveiling new software, or releasing a new book - do it live on Instagram. For example, the day you launch your product, make a few 15 second videos of preparations for the launch, and the actual launch. Post this to Instagram.

10. Build pre-launch momentum - If you’re launching a new product through Instagram, be sure to build excitement. Tease your followers with a 15 second video behind-the-scenes looks at how you’re preparing for the new product - without giving away exactly what it is. (Think iconic Steve Jobs marketing.)

11. Partner with other Brands - Whether you’re a small one shop business, or a large multinational, you have relationships with other businesses. If they’re on Instagram too, partner up, and get them to post your products on their Instagram feed.

12. Ask questions about your business or products - Use questions to get your people talking about your business. For example, ask your Followers if they have used your product today. Add a unique hashtag and give your consumers a hub to share photos of how they used your goods with each other.

Here is another great example shared by Wishpond of Target using questions, such as asking followers their favorite Popsicle flavor. This gets people talking about products Target sells.

 

13. Ask questions about lifestyles - Ask a question about lifestyles or how to solve common problems. For example, if you’re a fashion store - ask what boots your followers would wear with a new line of jeans you have.

14. Use “fill in the blank” posts - Make updates with a sentence followers can complete. For example, if you sell cars, create a post with an image of a vehicle on your lot. Include a “fill in the blank” post such as “I love a vehicle that has ______”.  

This gets people talking about products related to what you sell. It can also be great market research!

15. Use photo caption posts – Post a great photo, then ask your followers to provide the caption! This is a fun way to encourage engagement.

16. Crowdsource photos - Ask followers to submit photos of how they use your product. You may need to offer some incentive, such as a giveaway for anyone who participates to encourage engagement. As always, don’t forget to create a unique hashtag!

17. Geotag your posts - Target your local consumers by using Photo Map to tag where you are when you're posting. 

18. Ask for comments on your photos and videos - If you want more engagement on your posts, ask for it. Include things like “Share your opinion.” Or “Do you agree?”